GALLERY: The Loma Fire as captured by our news team in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A 10-acre brush fire called the Loma Fire singed a large portion of TV Hill Thursday night.
It broke out around 9 p.m. at Loma Alta Drive.
Due to the fire's proximity to neighborhoods and its high rate of spread, Santa Barbara police and sheriff's deputies evacuated hundreds of residents from their homes.
Our own newsroom was evacuated as the flames encroached on the back patio of our station. Despite that, many of our reporters used the opportunity to capture incredible pictures and video of the flames as well as the aftermath of the fire the next morning.
You can view those pictures here by clicking through our gallery. We will add more pictures as they come in. Tweets from our team can be viewed below.
Thanks to quick work by firefighters, all evacuation orders were lifted by early Friday morning and our station was able to continue broadcasting the news, mostly unscathed.
One arrest has been made in connection to the fire. Crews believe 23-year-old Victor Hernandez of Santa Barbara sparked five separate brush fires in the area Thursday evening. His bail is currently set at $2,000,000.
Fire on TV Hill in Santa Barbara right by our station. Scary. Fire crews just pulled up and are putting water on it. pic.twitter.com/Rq2zS42mfc
— Scott Hennessee (@HennesseeTV) May 21, 2021
Fire on TV Hill in Santa Barbara. Things have improved with fire crews getting water on the flames now. The terrain is steep and the wind is howling. pic.twitter.com/PwvQnf11XU
— Scott Hennessee (@HennesseeTV) May 21, 2021
This is video of the #LomaFire in Santa Barbara burning right up to our KEYT and KCOY studios. Our @HennesseeTV got this video of the flames burning close to our back door. pic.twitter.com/fetRo0CpkF
— Alys Martinez (@AlysMartinezTV) May 21, 2021
Here is the scene from our station on TV Hill in Santa Barbara at 10:40. We will be live at 11. pic.twitter.com/iVxgiPmft1
— Scott Hennessee (@HennesseeTV) May 21, 2021
I had to see what it looked like from below. Wow! So close to our station you can see on the right and our neighbor’s homes. #LomaFire #SantaBarbara pic.twitter.com/ceidN8a9uz
— Scott Hennessee (@HennesseeTV) May 21, 2021
#BREAKING: Fire on TV Hill in Santa Barbara. Getting very close to our station. @KEYTNC3 @KCOY (Photo: @JohnPalminteri) pic.twitter.com/vO545X5bO4
— Joey Buttitta (@Joey_Buttitta) May 21, 2021
Loma Fire still burning this morning. Latest now on @KEYTNC3 @KCOY pic.twitter.com/ZflrAyyZer
— Joey Buttitta (@Joey_Buttitta) May 21, 2021
#LomaFire about 10 acres, 50% contained. Flare-ups we're seeing are in spots where firefighters are having a hard time getting to them. Very steep. Winds a concern. May get a helicopter drop today.
— Joey Buttitta (@Joey_Buttitta) May 21, 2021
And we now have a fire truck on our back patio. @KEYTNC3 @KCOY pic.twitter.com/yXgYifqTVU
Hand crews have arrived on TV Hill. Chopping up brush and heading to smoldering hot spots. #LomaFire pic.twitter.com/8TXQ1mZDtl
— Joey Buttitta (@Joey_Buttitta) May 21, 2021
Here’s our fence at the station that was burned. And check out the slope! Completely charred down below. #LomaFire @KEYTNC3 @KCOY pic.twitter.com/E0TZqCrYAE
— Joey Buttitta (@Joey_Buttitta) May 21, 2021
That was close! The #LomaFire burned right up to the station last night. This morning firefighters are working to mop it up. @KEYTNC3 @KCOY pic.twitter.com/Dd0NTQWWMu
— Joey Buttitta (@Joey_Buttitta) May 21, 2021
Video of fire on TV Hill pic.twitter.com/yS1CycY9zJ
— Mike Klan (@KEYTNC3Mike) May 21, 2021
Loma fire near TV hill what it looks like here at 10:45PM! Lots of embers but not seeing much when it comes to active flames. Fire has pushed east towards Coronel St. Firefighters protecting this area as active flames pop up. @KEYTNC3 pic.twitter.com/vQG2xQLATv
— Kelsey Gerckens (@KelseyGerckens) May 21, 2021